Roger Williams Park Zoo Master Plan

Roger Williams Park Zoo

Providence, Rhode Island

Client

City of Providence

 

Design Start Date:

2014

 

Completion Date:

2015

 

Firm and Role:

Designer and

Interpretive Planning

AFH Design, LLC served on GLMV’s team to provide master planning services to the Roger Williams Park Zoo. The Master Plan utilizes a combination of organizational methods. The majority of the site is arranged zoo geographically featuring three major continents Africa, Asia and North America. This organizational method allows for a variety of interpretive opportunities including specific cultural, architectural, as well as environmental characteristics of the region. Areas such as The Shores, The Rainforest and The Islands organize habitats by various environmental factors. This method emphasizes the relationship between the animal and its environment. Finally, the Reptile Building is organized taxonomically allowing guests to compare and contrast similar species from around the world.

 

The overall goal of the Zoo’s interpretive planning and design is to provide integrated, active participation in conservation through play-based activities and experiential opportunities that will help the visitor understand how we interface with wildlife, and understand our impact and our role in conservation. The Zoo will focus more on active participation by visitors instead of passive observation. Further, this active participation in behavior that supports conservation will extend beyond the Zoo visit and, ideally, become integrated into our visitors’ daily lives.